Thirteenth 'eries, No. 11 



May 13. 1922 



^Teacfjersi College bulletin 




Food Lessons for 
^rition Classes 




/ 



fulletin, No. 41 



Published by 

Ceacftersf College, Columbia tHniberjf Up 

525 West 120th Street 
New York City 



' Ztad^tts CoUege HiuUetin 

Thirteenth Seriefi, No. 11 

Published twe (ve times a year: Fortnightly in September, Octo^ 
from November \to April, inclusive. Entered as second-clr 
the Post Office, Kew York City, N. Y., under Act of A 

Acceptance for /liailing at special ratr 
3, 1917, authorize i. 



/ 



/ 



OCT 23 -22 



A^^' ^ 
^<^/^ 



FOOD LESSONS FOR NUTRITION CLASSES 
FOREWORD 

For the past two and a half years students of nutrition at 
Teachers College have had opportunity to study the teaching of 
nutrition to children, first in classes at the Morningside Nutrition 
Center', and later at Public School No. 43, Manhattan. The 
children have been grouped in classes numbering from twelve to 
twenty-five children, ranging in age from kindergarten to eighth 
grade, mostly underweight for height and age. In Public School 
No. 43 the children are referred to the classes after examina- 
tion by the school physician and are chiefly rated as "Nutrition 
Ill's" (Dumfermline scale) with a few IPs and IV's. 

The aim of this education Is, of course, the physical betterment 
of the children, as well as improvement in their health habits to in- 

^The Morningside Nutrition Center was organized in October, 1919, through the efforts of a 
sub-committee of the Home Economics Committee of the Charity Organization Society, consisting 
of Professor Cora M. Winchell, Miss Emma A. Winslow, and the author. Its object was to afford 
students of home economics opportunities for practical applications of their work in the community. 

The first class organized for children was held, through the courtesy of the Henry Street 
Nursing Association, in its local center at the corner of Amsterdam Avenue and 126th Street, New 
York City. It soon became evident that the Morningside Center needed quarters of its own, and 
through the support of the Charity Organization Society, it moved to 100 Lawrence Street in 
January, 1920. Later, the work aroused sufficient interest to enlist the cooperation of the New York 
County Chapter of the American Red Cross which was about to undertake a demonstration of 
Child Health work of various types in the city. 

Public School No. 43, whose support the Morningside Center was already enjoying, as most of 
the children in its classes were coming from there, was the obviously suitable center for an intensive 
nutrition program. The cooperation, not only of tne school principal and teachers but also of the 
Department of Health of New York City, and the Departments of Houseliold Arts Education, 
and of Nursing and Health of Teachers College, was readily secured, and the Red Cross furnished 
a full-time nutrition worker for the Morningside Center. It soon became evident that the work 
for the children could be done more effectively in the school itself; consequently, in January, 1921, 
the rooms at 100 Lawrence Street were given up, the Charity Organization Society ceased its 
financial aid, and the work was transferred to the school, the Red Cross adding a second nutrition 
worker and establishing a dental clinic. 

The work in the school with from 150 to 175 children at a time in special nutrition classes 
has now gone on steadily for a year. A new group has been chosen each half year for this intensive 
work. Each class contains from twelve to eighteen children and is taught by a student of nutrition 
at Teachers College, under the supervision of the author, so far as the lessons are concerned, and 
under the immediate direction of the two nutrition workers at the school, one of whom has super- 
vised the home visiting done in connection with the classes since Miss Winslow's departure for 
London in September, 1921. 



4 TEACHERSCOLLEGEBULLETIN 

sure their future well-being. The class lessons have been supple- 
mented by personal visits to the homes and by efforts to remedy 
physical defects, and to enlist the child's own interest and that of 
his family in his physical welfare. 

The sequence of lessons described in this bulletin is based upon 
those given at the Morningside Nutrition Center between October, 
1919, and June, 1920, to boys and girls from eight to ten or eleven 
years of age. They are the result of much discussion as to the most 
suitable subject matter and the best way of presenting it, on 
the part of the students giving the lessons; of much helpful suggestion 
and criticism from others associated in the work; and of the later 
experience with classes at Public School No. 43. While it has not 
been feasible to repeat in detail in the public school such a set of 
lessons as is given here on account of shorter lesson time and less 
favorable space and equipment for nutrition classes, the material 
has been helpful in planning other lessons and it is hoped will be 
suggestive to other workers. 

Teaching nutrition classes differs somewhat from teaching reg- 
ular school classes. The aim is not a reaction in the schoolroom, 
like the recitation of a lesson learned under the teacher's eye, with 
the stimulus of a whole class engaged in the same enterprise. The 
thing to be done must be done in another environment, away from the 
school stimulus, perhaps under very unfavorable circumstances. Con- 
sequently, the presentation of any subject matter, useful as this may 
be in arousing the children's interest and giving them helpful infor- 
mation, is not the first responsiblity of the leader of a nutrition class. 
The interest aroused must be intense enough to carry over into the 
home environment. There must be intimate personal contact with 
each child in order to gain his confidence and inspire him with a sense 
of responsibility for his own health. There must be knowledge of 
the home situation and help in making it favorable to the program 
which the child is asked to carry out. He cannot buy his own food 
nor prepare it himself; he cannot even regulate the hours of his eat- 
ing and sleeping unassisted. The home must so far as possible be 
made ready to grant what the child is being taught to ask for. 

Subject matter is therefore a means to a very definite end. To 
have a class glibly reciting facts about food and health habits is no 
guarantee of improvement in any child's way of living. So, while 



FOOD LESSONS FOR NUTRITION CLASSES 5 

each lesson should add to the child's knowledge of how to gain health 
and keep it, each addition should be so presented as to suggest a de- 
finite and practical course of action. To form good habits there 
must be much repetition; to stimulate action in the face of diffi- 
culties enthusiasm must be generated. 

It does not usually seem practical to have the same group of 
children under weekly instruction for more than four to six months 
at a time. During such a period, most of the children will have 
learned the facts which can be taught in such a class and will have 
made efforts to improve if they are ever going to do so. It then be- 
comes increasingly difficult to get a response to the educational appeal. 
However, since children when left to themselves will drop back in- 
to their old habits very easily, some kind of probation should be de- 
vised to keep them under observation until it is demonstrated 
that they can take care of themselves with no more than the stim- 
ulus of the general health work of the school, A continuation 
class, meeting once a month for weighing and progress report is 
excellent if a group of about the same age can be gathered together. 

If the school is developing a strong health program, the work 
of special classes is not only splendidly reinforced, but children dis- 
missed from the weekly nutrition classes will not need as much sub- 
sequent supervision as they otherwise would. Furthermore, there 
will be less need for special classes, though there will always be need 
for a nutrition supervisor, to direct the nutrition program of the 
health work and look after individual cases. 

The author believes that since food is the biggest factor in nu- 
trition, a great deal of time in nutrition classes should be devoted to 
food; and that the best way to Interest children in the foods they 
should be eating is to have those foods for them to see and taste and 
discuss. Sometimes they need to be Interested in foods with which 
they are not familiar, and which they would not so much as try were 
it not being done by everybody In the class. There was Thomas, 
in a group being served farina. Everybody else was eating dili- 
gently. Thomas's spoon moved more and more slowly. "Go on, 
Thomas," the teacher said cheerfully, "we will play a game when you 
are through." Thomas gingerly gathered up the milk around the 
edges. "Would a little more milk help you, Thomas.^" Thomas 
shook his head and manfully persisted. As the visitor went out 



6 TEACHERS COLLEGE B U L L E T I 5f 

of the door, the last vision was of Thomas, a young Spartan, con- 
quering the last mouthful. Would he have done it at home? 

Sometimes it is important to show the children how good a very 
common food may be when suitably prepared. Besides having it 
in class, a recipe is sent home (pasted on the child's weight tag) and 
in a subsequent visit of the nutrition teacher the matter is discussed 
with the mother. This will often arouse mothers who are very in- 
different about food. Some of tljem will come to the school them- 
selves to ask for the recipes when the children forget to bring them 

home. 

Besides the direct educational value, there is an element of novelty 
and festivity which leads the children to talk about the class at home. 
Opportunity to teach certain groups needed lessons about sittmg 
down together to eat in an orderly way, with clean hands and 
courtesy, is afforded. No food should be given merely for entertain- 
ment, and for this reason as well as others, the portion served should 
be little more than a taste. The educational value should be kept 
uppermost. Only those foods should be selected which the children 
ought to eat and do not especially like, or do not know, and all should 
be kept within the capacity of the family pocket-book. 

The following food lessons are not described with the idea that 
they are the only kind suitable for nutrition classes. Some lessons 
on general hygiene — proper rest, fresh air, etc.— may well be inter- 
spersed among the food lessons. But good food habits play such 
a fundamental role in good health that the nutrition teacher may 
justly bend her energies to impressing these upon her children and 
their parents. This is the contribution to public health which she 
has been especially trained to make, and one sure to bring good re- 
turns in the long run.' 

^Suggestions for lessons on health habits will be found in Rose and Gorton, "The Child's Day." 
Technical Education Bulletin, No. 40 (Teachers College). For a list of such material refer to the 
Nutrition Bibliography published by the New York Nutrition Council. 



FOOD LESSONS FOR CHILDREN FROM EIGHT 
TO TEN YEARS OLD 

Arranged in Groups of Six Lessons Each to Make a 
Progressive Series 



GROUP I. FOODS WHICH CHILDREN SHOULD KNOW 

AND LIKE 

Lesson i. Milk, the Most Important Food for Growth 

The opening lesson should explain the purpose of a nutrition 
class and hold up the Idea of health as something very desirable and 
worth working for. A bright picture of a boy or girl in action and 
glowing with vitality will serve to catch attention and help arouse en- 
thusiasm. To show further what the work of the class is to be, a 
chart such as that published by the New York Association for Im- 
proving the Condition of the Poor, "Be Strong and Healthy," may 
well be used. This chart' sets forth food habits essential to health 
as follows: 

Drink at least two cups of milk every day. 

Eat freely of bread or cereal at every meal. 

Eat some vegetable every day. 

Do not eat sweets except at the end of a meal. 

Drink at least six cups of water every day. 

Do not drink tea or coffee at all. 

Eat regularly three times a day. 

Do not eat between meals — except an occasional light luncheon 

halfway between two hearty meals. 
Eat slowly — chew food thoroughly. 

It is easy to direct attention to the first rule and illustrate the 
importance of food for growth by a photograph showing the difference 
in size of twin rats, one fed a good diet and the other a poor one.^ 

^One of a set of eight charts, which may be found in miniature in the "Food Primer for the 
Home," also published by the A. I. C. P. 

^Large photographs of this sort may be purchased from Professor E. V. McCoUum, Johns Hop- 
kins University, Baltimore, Md. Other helpful pictures and suggestions may be found in "The 
Food Value of Milk," Bulletin No. 215, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, 
Conn., and "Milk Necessary for the Nation's Welfare," Bulletin No. 291, Wisconsin Agricultural 
Experiment Station, Madison, Wis. 



8 TEACHERS COLLEGE BULLETIN 

As the lesson progresses, each child may be urged to drink at 
least two cups of milk a day, three if possible, since a quart of milk 
is better for a child than only a pint; but it often takes time to edu- 
cate families to the point of spending so much money for milk, and 
sometimes the family income is not such as to justify spending more 
than a bare minimum for even so important a food. Lest the 
zealous overdo the matter, it is well to issue a warning against try- 
ing to drink more than one qu^rt of milk in a single day. 

To arouse interest in milk itself, the children may be told about 
the time-honored custom of drinking to some one's health, and in- 
vited to drink to one another's health in milk. Paper cups may be 
produced and a pitcher of milk, each child being given a small portion 
(one-fifth cup). This "toast" to good health, displayed on a poster 
or blackboard, is quickly learned: 

Here's to your good health and mine. 
To make us grow this milk is fine; 
Now pass around the jolly cup; 
We'll give a cheer and drink it up. 

No child will refuse to drink his portion under such circumstances, 
and most will go home and speak about this new experience. It 
may pave the way for asking for milk to drink at home. 

Weighing the children is generally a routine matter in a nutri- 
tion class and will not be referred to in connection with the lessons 
which follow. A weight tag to send home with each child is desir- 
able. It should state what he weighed previously, his present weight, 
and the gain since the former weighing. These tags may be made 
attractive in various ways, and the blank side serves for recipes or 
other messages to the mothers. The children's natural interest in 
their own gains may often be fostered by some kind of class record 
as well as by individual weight charts which should be regularly 
kept. One of the simplest and most effective is called "Climbing 
the Health Ladder." There is a ladder for each member of the class, 
with his or her name at the bottom and an appropriate picture of 
a child at the top. The rungs represent definite gains in weight and 
colored seals indicate how near each child is to the top, i.e., to normal 
weight for height and age. These charts give a group interest with- 
out objectionable features of rivalry or too much disturbance from 
inevitable fluctuations in weight. 



FOOD LESSONS FOR NUTRITION CLASSES 




JAMES SMITH 5ALLY SMALL BOB JONES 
CLIMBING THE HEALTH LADDER. 



Lesson II. Cocoa, a Substitute for Milk 

Constant reviewing is important, especially when lessons come 
but once a week. One of the most valuable parts of a review is finding 
out the extent to which the children have acted upon the suggestions 
already made. This can only be discovered by adroit questioning. 
Care must be taken not to ask leading questions. One must not 
say, "Did you have milk for breakfast?" but rather, "How much 
milk did you have in your coffee?" One may then perchance dis- 
cover whether the child did or did not have coffee. If he drank 
milk instead he is quite likely to say so. 

A new picture is always in demand, and a suitable one for this 
lesson is the third chart in the series from New York A. I. C. P., al- 
ready referred to, "Milk as Compared with Tea or Coffee as Food." 
This shows a healthy child, a bottle of milk and a cup of coffee, with a 
graphic comparison between the food value of milk and coffee simple 
enough for children to grasp. This chart will pave the way for talk- 
ing about different methods of taking milk. Children who have 



lO TEACHERS COLLEGE BULLETIN 

been used to tea or coffee for breakfast often appreciate cocoa because 
it is hot. It must be made clear that cocoa is merely a flavoring 
for the milk, and that plain milk would do quite as well. It may be 
a good idea to demonstrate the making of a cup of cocoa (easily done 
with a sterno stove and a small saucepan) because the children can 
often make it at home for themselves, or at least tell their mothers 
that it is to be made with milk, not water. 

As an aid in maintaining the continuity of the lessons, the "Toast 
to Good Health" may be modifigd for this lesson: 

Here's to your good health and mine. 
To make us grow this cocoa's fine; 
For coffee fails and also tea 
To bring good health to you and me. 

A small portion of cocoa may then be served to each child in a 
paper cup, just as the milk was before, and the recipe sent home on 
the back of the weight tag. 

Lesson III. Vegetable Soup, Another Way to Use Milk in the 
Child's Diet 

This lesson not only affords opportunity to review what has 
been taught about milk and what the children are doing in regard 
to drinking it, but also to introduce the subject of vegetables. Since 
the real significance of vegetables in the diet has only lately begun 
to be appreciated, it is found that most children have not been ac- 
customed to them in their early years, and are not particularly in- 
terested in adding them to their diet. The story of "Cho-Cho and 
the Health Fairy," published by the Child Health Organization, offers 
suggestions for personifying them and giving them a dramatic in- 
terest. A chart showing the "Little Vegetable Men" is useful to 
introduce these "food friends"'and for "busy work" during the weigh- 
ing period the children may be asked to draw pictures of certain 
ones with colored crayons, or to mount colored pictures from seed 
catalogues or other sources. 

The merits of a hot vegetable soup should be impressed upon 
the children, and especially one made with milk. This is a type of 

*Some charming personifications of vegetables may be found in "Mother Earth's Children," 
published by Voland and Company. Also a picture, Midsummer Night in Vegetable Land, in 
"Jack O'Health and Peg O'Joy," published by Charles Scribner*3 Sons. 



FOOD LESSONS FOR NUTRITION CLASSES 



II 



dish not commonly met with in their homes, and yet one in which 
mothers have shown great interest. 



TMe VEGETABLE MEN 



For serving 
the soup the chil- 
dren are best 
seated together 
about a table, if 
possible; at least 
in an orderly 
fashion, so that 
they may be ser- 
ved and eat to- 
gether. If hands 
can be washed 
before the food 
is served, so 
much the better, 
as there is always 
need of seizing 
opportunities to 
teachcleanUness. 

Another 
verse of the 
series may be displayed as the children are about to be served: 




EAT ONE OPUS EVERT DAY 
IF YOU WANT TO GROW 

Adapted from a picture in the "Metropolitan Mother Goose,'" published by 
the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. 



Here's to your good health and mine. 
When made with milk hot soup is fine; 
Put peas or spinach in and see. 
How good 'twill be for you and me. 

Lesson IV. Cornstarch Pudding, Milk in Disguise 

Considerable time may well be spent in introducing milk into 
the diet, as many people know little of it except as a beverage. Corn- 
starch pudding connects well with the preceding lessons, especially 
if flavored with cocoa. As this is the first sweet dish, opportunity 
is afforded for discussing the place of sweets in the diet — at the end 
of the meal and never between meals. A good pudding made with 
milk is better than cake or candy; boys and girls are best off without 
these. Puddings mean a pleasant way to eat milk and are not hard 



12 TEACHERS COLLEGE BULLETIN 

to make. This lesson also offers opportunity for directing attention 
to the teeth. Milk and vegetables help to grow good teeth, sugar 
has no tooth-building capacity, and actually injures them if not 
washed from them after a meal. 

When the pudding is served (very easily with small paper plates 
and spoons), the children may recite together; 

Here's to your good health and mine. 
To end a meal some pudding's fine; 
The best are made with milk, you know. 
The food that helps us all to grow. 

Lesson V. Dry Toast, a Food to Chew; Milk Toast, a Substitute 
FOR Cereal' and Milk 

The way was prepared for a talk about teeth in the previous 
lesson. 

Good teeth are a sign of good nutrition and in the long run an 
asset for good nutrition. Children should be educated to the im- 
portance of good teeth and the necessity of mastication and slow 
eating as well as cleanliness. Dry toast is good chewing material. 
If whole wheat bread is chosen, a lesson on the value of mineral con- 
stituents in the food for the building of good teeth can readily be re- 
lated to it, as well as to the milk and vegetables which have preceded. 
Suggestions for interesting children in their teeth may be found in 
the Child^s Book of the Teeth (World Publishing Company). Squares 
of dry toast may be passed for a chewing match, the winner being the 
one who makes his last the longest. Later more of the toast may be 
served with hot milk seasoned with salt or salt and sugar. Milk 
toast is another dish simple enough to be made in any home and not 
used nearly as much as it should be. Often this makes a very ac- 
ceptable substitute for the breakfast cereal. A "Table Verse" re- 
views the main point: 

Here's to your good health and mine. 
To make good teeth hard toast is fine; 
See how we chew and chew and chew — 
So children always ought to do. 

'The serving of a breakfaBt cereal was purposely deferred until a later leseon, but if only a few 
leeeons are to be given, it should be included ae leeson V or VI of this firet group. 



FOOD LESSONS FOR NUTRITION CLASSES 



13 



Lesson VI. Fruit Blanc Mange. Fruit as a Supplement to 
Milk 

The lessons thus far have dealt with foods that all children ought 
to know and like (milk, cereals, vegetables) and some simple yet 
pleasing ways in which they may be eaten. There should also be 
some instruction as to the place of fruit in the diet; for while it is 
generally popular, it is not always wisely used and there is need es- 
pecially of information about dried fruit, fresh being often too ex- 
pensive for the family pocket book. 



EAT 




The fruit lesson should be connected with the idea of a regular 
daily bowel movement, for badly fed children are all too often the 
victims of constipation and "regulated" by a weekly "pill." Prunes 
are one of the most important fruits to teach and their use as a break- 
fast fruit without cooking (merely soaking over night and then allow- 
ing to stand drained free of water till the second day) can easily be 
demonstrated. It is also a good plan to show children how good 



14 TEACHERS COLLEGE BULLETIN 

Stewed prunes may be with proper care in selection and cooking. 
Emphasis also needs to be laid on making fruit part of a meal, for very 
often it is regarded as something perfectly proper for children to eat 
between meals, whereas experience has shown that random fruit 
eating tends towards undernutrition. 

A prune-raisin-cornstarch blanc mange^ is a good device to make 
a little fruit add to the attractiveness of a family diet and in this series 
makes a good connection with the former lessons — milk, cereal and 
fruit, all in one simple, wholesome dish. 

A lively Interest in a dish of prunes may be stimulated by a verse 
similar to the following, while the children are partaking of the pud- 
ding: 

Here's to your good health and mine. 
To make us grow these prunes are fine; 
Some kind of fruit we need each day, 
To keep us fit for work or play. 

GROUP II. THE ENERGY VALUE OF FOODS 
Lesson i. The Calorie — ^A Unit of Food Measurement 

A shortage in calories is one of the commonest dietary defi- 
ciencies, and especially in the case of children, whose energy needs 
are so much greater in proportion to their size than those of adults. 
Hence boys and girls old enough to have had some training in arith- 
metic may properly be taught to "count their calories." 

To introduce the idea of measuring foods and fitting them to 
body needs, the "calorie yardstick" was prepared by taking a wooden 
T-square and fastening it to a large sheet of cardboard in such a way 
that an arrow made of cardboard could move freely up and down the 
long arm. Behind the upright arm was a "calorie scale" as on a ther- 
mometer. 

On a table was assembled a serving of each of the foods which 
the children had had in their previous lessons. When the lesson began 
a large chart was placed before the children, with the word "Calories" 
prominent, and this verse: 

^This excellent pudding does not seem to be generally known. The recipe may be found in 
Van Arsdale and Monroe, "Some Sugar-saving Sweets for Every Day," Technical Education Bulletin, 
No. 35 (Teachers College). 



FOOD LESSONS FOR NUTRITION CLASSES 



15 



Sing a song of calories 

The sprites in food and drink; 

Bright boys and girls who wish to grow 

Must count them in a wink. 




THE "Calorie Yardstick" 

this lesson with a new food, a fifty-calo 
served, and the children encouraged to 
pared in size with the serving they would 



The teacher held up 
a picture of an automo- 
bile and the children 
then discussed how the 
automobile goes. They 
were told that they also 
had engines which must 
have something corres- 
ponding to gasoline, 
i. e., calorie-bearing food. 
They were told how 
many calories they 
needed each day, and 
how many there were in 
each of the servings of 
food before them. As 
these calories in each 
food were mentioned 
they were carefully meas- 
ured off on the "yard- 
stick" and then totaled. 
Not to complicate 
rie portion of cocoa was 
figure out how this com- 
be likely to have at home. 



Lesson II. Calories in Common Foods 

For this lesson cut-out pictures of the foods which the children 
had had in former lessons were secured, and these the children pasted 
on cards (a cup of milk, a cup of cocoa, a bowl of cream soup, a dish of 
prunes), writing under each the number of calories in it. Then a 
set of new foods was placed on a table before them, this time in 100 
calorie portions, and these were measured off on the "yardstick." 



l6 TEACHERS COLLEGE BULLETIN 

These included common items, such as bread, butter, oleomargarine, 
peanut butter, corn syrup, as well as the foods mentioned above. 

The children were then given a loaf of bread to cut off lOO-calorie 
portions (in two slices). These were made into sandwiches after 
being spread, one with peanut butter, the other with corn syrup, and 
served to the children. Sandwiches were chosen because these chil- 
dren very often have to get their own lunches at noon, their mothers 
being away at work. Sandwiches and milk can be ready for the chil- 
dren when they come from school, or the children can get them easily 
themselves. 

The little table rhyme was continued, the one for this lesson be- 
ing: 

One hundred fifty calories, 

A glass of milk can show, 

A slice of bread holds fifty more, 

To make our engines go. 

Lesson III. Calories in Vegetables and Fruit 

A chart prepared for this lesson showed lOO-calorie portions of 
different kinds of fruit grouped about a picture of a healthy child. 
This was placed on exhibition before the lesson, and by the time the 
weighing was finished the children had nearly all learned these food 
values. Fruits and vegetables were discussed together as desirable 
kinds of food for children to eat, and the fact pointed out that calories 
must come from several kinds of food to build a good diet just as a 
house must have several kinds of material. The potato was ex- 
hibited as a vegetable supplying many calories, one containing lOO 
calories being displayed. 

The class then used the calorie yardstick to determine the calories 
they might have in a dish of creamed potatoes, as each ingredient, 
milk, butter, flour, was shown and the calories it contained indicated. 
That this is another opportunity to use milk was also brought to their 
attention; 50-calorie portions of creamed potatoes were served, and 
these verses were written on the blackboard to read during the repast: 

Sing a song of calories. 
Banana, orange, fig. 
One hundred calories from each, 
Provided they are big. 



FOOD LESSONS FOR NUTRITION CLASSES 



17 



One hundred calories apiece 
Potatoes, too, will give; 
Without these "fairies" in our food 
Not one of us could live. 

Lesson IV. Calories in a Child's Breakfast 

A child's breakfast was set upon a table as an exhibit, and calories 
in each dish discussed and those in the whole meal added up. The 
danger of children getting too few calories in the morning when they 
rise late and have to hurry to school was pointed out. A breakfast 
of coffee and a roll was shown to have too few calories, in addition 



BREAkf^T 





OATMBVL 4:cop 75 CALORIES 
MIIK ^cup 45 CALORIES 

T0A5T asUces 100 CALORIES 
BUHER. ztsp. 66 CALORIES 

MILK TO DRINK I25CALORJE5 

TOTAL 41 1 CALORIES 



to the objectionable qualities of the coffee. How a glass of milk and 
the same roll would give more calories was also shown. The chil- 
dren knew enough of arithmetic to work out these simple sums^on 
the blackboard, and greatly enjoyed doing it. 

In connection with meals, children need instruction about the 
right amount of different foods to use in a meal. That four prunes are 



lb TEACHERS COLLEGE BULLETIN 

better for breakfast then a dozen, leaving the rest till another meal; 
that a large serving of cereal is a great help towards gains in weight; 
that an extra slice of bread or an extra roll means just so many calories 
more for making body engines run well; and that a glass of milk or 
a cup of cocoa is to be regarded as an indispensable part of a good 
breakfast, are points to emphasize. 

The children's individual calorie requirements were written on 
cards for them, and they were urged to see whether they could each 
get from 400 to 500 calories for breakfast, and to report at the next 
meeting. 

The serving of a 50-calorie portion of oatmeal completed the 
lesson, and as they ate it together the children considered how far 
the addition of milk would push the pointer on the yardstick. At 
serving time a chart was placed before the children showing in pictures 
the model breakfast which had been demonstrated with the actual 
foods at the beginning of the lesson, this verse accompanying: 

Sing a song of breakfast time, 
And what we need to grow; 
Four hundred calories at least 
This meal should yield, we know. 

Lesson V. Calories in a Child's Dinner 

A dinner chart, similar to the breakfast chart of the last lesson 
and showing a total of 800 calories, served to introduce this lesson. 
A list was made upon the blackboard of all foods with energy value 
known to the children. Later these were erased, the children were 
given names of the foods, and as these were called, they rose quickly 
and told how large a lOO-calorie portion would be, thus making a 
sort of game. 

Kidney bean stew^ was chosen as an example of a dinner dish 
and 50-calorie portions were served. This is wholesome, economical, 
and always popular. 

To the chart exhibited at the beginning of the lesson was attached 
the verse: 

'Good recipes for such classes may be found in "Economical Diet and Cookery in Time of 
Emergency," by Rose, Winchell and Shapleign, Technical Education Bulletin No. 30. (Teachers 
College). 



FOOD LESSONS FOR NUTRITIONS CLASSES I9 

Sing a song of dinner bells, 
Food fairies trooping In; 
How many are invited here? 
Eight hundred — let them in. 

Lesson VI. Calories in a Child's Supper 

The children were first given a set of cut-out pictures of foods 
of various kinds, and asked to pick out those which would be suit- 
able for breakfast. These were discussed, and finally enough of them 
were selected to make a sample meal and pasted on a chart. The 
children then decided how many calories should be assigned to each 
food, and these figures were written on the chart, and the total for 
breakfast put on the blackboard. The number of calories suitable 
for dinner and the kind of dinners children should eat were next re- 
viewed. Knowing how many calories they needed in a day the 
children found by subtraction the number desirable for supper. By 
this time they knew the calorie-value of enough foods to suggest 
the main items of a suitable supper — bread, milk, butter, fruit, pota- 



f^ 



SUPPER. 600 CAUOlilES 





c^S' SPUT PEA 501IP 200 CAL 

brjown bread and 
butter 200 cal 

APPLE- 
TAPIOCA AND MILK __200 CAL/ 



20 



TEACHERS COLLEGE BULLETIN 



to, for instance. A supper chart, showing a meal totaling 600 
calories, was added to the breakfast and dinner charts already 
on exhibition, thus completing the day. To the supper chart was 
attached the verse: 

Sing a song of supper, 
And children soon to bed; 
Six hundred lively calories 
For every sleepyhead. 

Mock Indian pudding, 'rich in milk and high in energy value, 
was chosen to serve, thus completing the lesson and the series. 



GROUP III. THE COMPOSITION OF FOOD 

Lesson I. Milk, a Source of All the Dietary Essentials 

The charming story of the Milk Fairies, by Jennie Van Heyson 
McGillis, suggested the theme of this lesson. A poster was made 
having a milk bottle in the center, and around this were portrayed 
the different "fairies" — a soldier boy for "Captain Protein," one of 
John Martin's Chubbies' for "Fat," twins in white for "Carbohy- 
drate," triplets in three colors for "Vitamins," and a small army 
of little red, yellow and brown men for iron, calcium and phosphorus 
as representatives of "Mineral Salts." 

These were each pointed out and the children promised that they 
should get acquainted with them all in due time, but that in this 
lesson they would take "Chubby Fat" out of the milk bottle and have 

a look at him. To make this 
promise come true, a pint of 
sour cream was churned with 
a Dover beater, and the result- 
ing butter was spread upon 
saltines and eaten by the chil- 
dren at the close of the hour. 
During the churning the origin 
of milk was discussed; pictures 
of the cow, the place where 
the cow lived, and the calf which the milk was designed to feed 




the Fat Chubbies 



'See any number of John Martin's Book /or Children. 



FOOD LESSONS FOR NUTRITION CLASSES 



21 



were shown, and finally the children who grew rosy from drinking 
the milk. 

Lesson II. Milk, a Source of Protein 



The chart of the previous lesson was again presented and re- 
viewed. This time "Captain Protein" was to be brought out of the 
bottle. The children were told a story of how a boy was to be built 
in fairy land. Here was a group of calorie fairies to make him "go" 
when he was finished; here were all the other fairies anxious to work 
on him and help put him together, but they could not get started be- 
cause they must do team work; no one could work unless all the 
others were working, and "Captain Protein" was not to be found. 
So they went hunting hither and yon and finally found him fast asleep 
under a mushroom. "Wake up," they cried, "we have a little boy to 
finish today." Captain Protein rubbed his eyes, and said, "Oh, go 
on without me; I'm sleepy." "But we can't," they all cried. "We 
can't do a thing without you. Nothing goes right when you are a- 
#— ^ ^ V way." So Captain Protein blew a long 

13 \\ blast on his tin horn to wake himself up, 

S^ I I and then scampered away with the other 

>y J \ fairies at his heels. They all pitched 

- ''^ ^ ^ in with such vim that the little boy was 

~ y g >l done in half an hour. 

— ^ I lIL'^i A quart of sour milk which had been 

■^ ■" T gently warming over hot water was pro- 

duced, the curd separated from the 
whey, and made into cottage cheese. 
While this was going on, the children re- 
viewed what they knew about foods 
suitable for each meal in the day and the 
calorie values of the foods which they 
had learned. Pictures of the different 
the children tried to see who could tell the 




Captain protein 



foods were held up, and 

size of a loocalorie portion most quickly. 

The cheese was finally served, made into sandwiches with brown 
bread and butter. 



22 



TEACHERS COLLEGE BULLETIN 



Lesson III. Milk, a Source of Carbohydrate 




STARCH SUGAR 

THE Carbohydrate Twins 



The ''Carbohydrate Twins," starch and sugar, cut out of white 
paper and mounted on a dark ground, were presented to the class 
at the opening of this lesson. 

It was explained that only 
one of the twins really lived in 
milk, but the other could not 
bear to be far away. So they 
are always thought of together. 
Sugar is what makes milk so 
sweet and good. A sample of 
milk sugar was shown, and the 
children were allowed to taste 
it. It is not so sweet as the 
sugar we have on our tables, but it is better for children on that 
account. Children need very little table sugar, for if they are 
eating as they should they get quite enough sugar In their 
milk. Starch is not sweet and you might think she was not 
a real twin of sugar. But she is a sugar fairy in disguise. 
If you chew a crust of bread long enough, it will begin to 
taste sweet. That is because the saliva in our mouths works magic 
upon the starch in the bread and changes it to sugar. Whenever we 
eat starch, our bodies do that — change it to sugar. It is better for 
us to eat much bread and other starchy foods rather than much 
table sugar, because it is not so sweet and digests more easily. There 
are a number of our most important foods that have much starch in 
them, including bread of all kinds, oatmeal, cornmeal, rice, and other 
cereals, besides cornstarch and flour. Some of this kind of food is 
good for every meal in the day. 

The children were then told a story adapted from "Ceres and 
Proserpina." How Ceres, whose work it was to take care of all the 
grains and make them grow to make bread for the world, lost her 
little daughter; how Proserpina, going with Pluto, would not eat the 
rich food, the cakes and sweetmeats which he provided for her, but 
begged for the bread and milk which her mother used to give her. 
How she would not drink his coffee but pleaded for cool clear water, 
and how when she was finally returned to her mother, the grains 



FOOD LESSONS FOR NUTRITION CLASSES 23 

again began to grow and the boys and girls of the world again had 
bread. 

A few spears of wheat, oats, and such other grains as could be 
obtained were shown the children, and their attention was directed 
to rice, which is almost pure starch. Boiled rice with a few raisins 
cooked with it was suggested as a good supper dish for the children 
and this was served with milk to conclude the lesson. 



Lesson IV. Milk, a Source of Calci 



UM 



The children were first shown a bone which had been treated 
with acid until pliable, and were asked how they would like to have 
bones like that. Then a chart was produced, showing the army of 
little calcium men which had been on the chart used in the first lesson 
of the series. It was explained to the children that neither bones 
nor teeth could be built without these, nor could a strong body 
ever be developed without having a good supply of calcium on hand. 
Milk was specially needed for these fairies, as they liked to live in 
milk better than anywhere else, and, in fact, there were not many of 
them found anywhere else in food. 

The teeth of the children were then inspected to see how many 
had been building good ones. Comments were also made at this 
time as to how well they were taking care of the teeth which it took 
good food to build. EflForts were made to arouse their pride in a 
good set of teeth as a sign of good food and good care. Cut-out 
pictures of foods rich in either protein or starch were distributed for 
the children to sort into protein and starch groups. 

A mock oyster soup (milk and tomatoes, sightly thickened with 
cracker crumbs) was used as an example of a fine carrier of calcium. 
The calorie value was also discussed, and the calories needed for the 
different meals of the day were reviewed. 

Lesson V. Milk, a Source of Vitamins 

This time the "Vitamin Triplets" were displayed as policemen, 
each on his own card in his true color (as shown on the original milk 
fairy chart) and bearing his appropriate letter. A, B, or C. 

Vitamin A was introduced to the children first, as a fat fellow, 



24 



TEACHERS COLLEGE BULLETIN 




THE VITAMIN TRIPLETS 



loving the top part of the milk bottle best. The children were told 
how he held a club over all the other milk fairies to make them 

work. If he were not 
there they would all get 
lazy and do nothing. 
Photographs of young 
animals were shown, 
some that had food with- 
out vitamin A and could 
not grow, and others that 
had plenty. The child- 
ren were also told that 
this vitamin had the 
power to make some bad germs so weak that they could do no 
harm. They were shown a photograph of an animal deprived of 
the A vitamin, that had a sore eye from bad germs that A vitamin 
might easily have kept from doing any harm. Other foods besides 
milk in which this vitamin might be found were exhibited, as spin- 
ach, lettuce, carrots, eggs, and butter. 

Vitamin B was next introduced in a fashion similar to vitamin A. 
The children were told that this vitamin was also a policeman, mak- 
ing the other fairies work better, that it really took both A and B to 
keep them at work all the time. Children persist in growing so fast 
that "Captain Protein" and all the calcium and other "mineral men" 
had more than they could do to supply material for bones and teeth 
and all the rest, to say nothing of the calories that boys and girls use 
up in running about! As they needed help so vitamin B was called 
to assist A. You would not even have appetite for your food if B 
were "off his beat." As vitamin A preferred the top of the milk 
bottle, so B preferred the lower part. He could be found also in 
other foods (exhibited) as tomatoes, oranges, apples, cabbage, pota- 
toes, in fact, in many fruits and vegetables. This is one of the reasons 
why it is important for boys and girls to eat some kind of green vege- 
table and some kind of fruit, besides drinking milk, every day. 

Vitamin C v/as also shown with a club in his hand and a group 
of foods at his feet. He is the third policemen of the "squad." But 
he is a rather delicate policeman. He cannot stand heat like the other 
fellows. When milk is pasteurized to kill any germs that may have 



FOOD LESSONS FOR NUTRITION CLASSES 



25 



fallen into it, it just makes him sick. He sometimes goes away from 
milk entirely and we have to find him somewhere else. He loves 
potatoes and tomatoes and cabbage and oranges to hide in. This is 
another reason why we want some kind of fresh fruit or vegetable 
every day. Then we know our third good policeman will be at hand 
to help keep us well. He is not quite such a driver as A and B, but 
he helps them out on all occasions, and we should get sick if we left 
him out. 

Junket was served at this lesson. All the food fairies are held in it. 

Lesson VT. Iron and Other Mineral Elements in Food 

Iron was represented by a troop of little brownies.^ It was ex- 
plained to the children that these brownies are painters. They love 
red. They take little disks as they sit along the banks of the blood 
stream, paint them red, and throw them in. These by magic become 
little boats, to carry food and oxygen to all the little workers in the 
body. They color lips and cheeks red, and we say, "How well that 
little girl looks!" They can work best in the sunshine, so we must 
go out of doors to play in it awhile every day. If we stay in the 
house, the brownies get weak and cannot do their work. They cannot 
get into our bodies except through food. Not many of them live in 
the milk bottle, though the ones who do live there are very strong and 

hard workers. But 
we must have more 
then we should get in 
milk, even if we do 
make a business of 
drinking a glass at 
each meal. So we 
must look at these 
foods (exhibit spinach, 
whole wheat bread, 
egg, beef). Green foods are the ones in which brownies love best to 
hide. They think it a joke for red painters to live in green places. 
So another good rule for boys and girls (referring back to chart 
giving food rules used in Lesson I, Group I) is, "Eat some green 

^ Lippincott's edition of Miss Mulock'a Adventure of a Brownie furnishes two or three admirable 
pictures for this lesson and suggests a good story (Brownie on the supper table and on the milking- 
Btool, particularly). 




THE Iron brownies 



26 TEACHERS COLLEGE BULLETIN 

vegetable every day." A few times a week a little meat is good, and 
a few times a week an egg if we have plenty of money. But the 
green vegetable is the most important for every day. 

Other minerals were represented by a troup of sprites in various 
colors. The largest was yellow, bore the letter P, for phosphorus 
and was pointed out as the captain of this mineral troup. He and 
calcium work together. In fact, calcium cannot build any bones un- 
less phosphorus is there to help. Even the "vitamin policemen" 
are weak when this fellow is hot around. Fortunately, he loves the 
milk bottle, and the green vegetables and fruits that we are going to 
eat for other reasons, so we need not say more about where to get this 
food fairy. He never comes alone. Always a troup of followers 
is with him in the milk, the vegetables and the fruits, helping in one 
way and another in the great work of making boys and girls grow 
strong and lively. 

Now we have studied all the milk fairies. We know how many 
calories there are in a bottle of milk; how "Captain Protein" helps the 
other fairies with all his might, leading the way every time; how the 
"vitamin policemen" keep every one straight; how the "iron brown- 
ies" make little red boats and paint lips and cheeks as a sign that all 
is well inside, if we give them enough fresh air and sunshine; how 
"calcium" and "phosphorus" work together like brothers to build 
bones, and do other useful things for everybody; and even the little 
"mineral fairies" whose names we have not learned, troop along and 
do their bit. 

Isn't it wonderful what a bottle of milk has taught us.^ Is it 
strange that we want to get one for ourselves each day if we can, and 
if we can't have a whole bottle, to ask for as much as our mothers can 
possibly let us have (though we should never be so greedy as to take 
more than a quart in a day).^ Now we shall have our last party to- 
gether. This time we are going to have a great hiding place of 
the "iron brownies" — spinach. The spinach was served, cooked 
with toast to thicken it and a little onion for flavor, a way of cooking 
this vegetable which the children seem to like. 

This lesson may well be followed by a series of lessons on "break- 
fast," "dinner" and "supper," showing the children foods suitable 
for each, quantities desirable for the different foods, their energy 
values, and the reason for different kinds of food. 



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